More Articles

Those long commutes to and from work cause more than just headaches, according to new research.

People who commute 20 miles or more to work every day tend to have larger waists, more cardiorespiratory problems and higher blood pressure than those with shorter drives, according to researchers at Washington University in St. Louis.

“Obviously, you’re sitting longer, burning fewer calories,” said Christine Hoehner, lead investigator of the study and an assistant professor of public health sciences at the university.

“If people have longer commutes, (there’s also) less time for exercise, less discretionary time to cook healthier meals and less time for sleep.”

The study, published last month in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, surveyed a group of nearly 4,300 adults in 12 metropolitan Texas counties. Most residents surveyed said they drove to work.

The study found that commuters who drove 20 miles or more each way to work were less likely to meet physical-fitness recommendations and weighed 2 to 3 pounds more than those with shorter commutes.

The longer the commute, the worse the risk for health problems, according to the research.

Those with commutes of 10 miles or less had a lower risk of elevated blood pressure and were more likely to exercise than those who sat behind the wheel for longer trips.

Even the brief walk to a bus stop makes public transportation a healthier way to get around, Hoehner said.In 2010, 92 percent of Columbus residents said they drove to work, and more than 20 percent said their commutes took 20 to 24 minutes each way, according to U.S. Census data.

Brendan Doyle, of Mount Vernon in Knox County, drives a total of about 100 miles every day to and from work as a computer technician at Grant Medical Center in Columbus. That eats up about 2 1/2 hours.

“That’s the biggest problem I have with the commute, is the amount of personal time it takes,” said Doyle, 33. “I do try to stay in shape. I go to a gym at work after work.“

That gets me home an hour and a half later than normal, but I feel like it’s kind of a necessity.”

The Washington University study showed negative health effects associated with long commutes even after factoring out the amount of time participants exercised.

That’s a signal that the stress alone of commuting might cause blood pressure to rise, said Dr. Laxmi Mehta, clinical director of the Women’s Cardiovascular Health Clinic at Ohio State University’s Wexner Medical Center. Mehta was not associated with the study.

“If more people respond to driving feel stressful, they tend to have higher blood pressure and may feel stressed or tired,” Mehta said.

Mehta said she recommends that those with long commutes take 10-minute walks throughout the day and listen to music or a book on tape in the car during the drives.